Austria‘s capital is loaded with cultural spaces, but it’s usually difficult to find free museums in Vienna, with most places costing 15+ euros to visit.
This city is home to over a hundred museums (with lots of bizarre ones you never thought existed), so here are a few you can check out without spending any money at all.
*I try to keep the information on this blog as updated as possible, but I still recommend consulting the latest prices, opening hours, and other details on the official website of each site, hotel, and tour, as well as checking the updated public transport routes and timetables. I share my personal experience and cannot guarantee yours.
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Good to Know
Good to know: Many museums offer a small discount if you purchase a Vienna City Card and free entrance with a Vienna Pass. Whether they’re worth it or not depends on your itinerary.
Good to know #2: Many museums offer free entry to visitors under the age of 19 and are closed on specific dates like December 25th and January 1st, so consult their official websites before planning a visit.
Completely Free Museums in Vienna
Wien Museum
Located in Karlsplatz, the main branch of the group of museums called Wien Museum offers free entrance to the permanent exhibition “Vienna. My History” that showcases the entire history of the city. Special exhibitions can also be visited for free on every first Sunday of the month.
Address: Karlsplatz 8.
Opening hours: Tuesday – Friday 9 AM – 6 PM, Thursday 9 AM – 9 PM, Saturday – Sunday 10 AM – 6 PM.
Wien Museum Musa
Boasting over 50,000 pieces, this museum hosts Viennese contemporary art exhibitions and features a special room called Startgalerie, which supports young artists.
Address: Felderstraße 6-8.
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10 AM – 6 PM.
Circus & Clown Museum
I’m not gonna to lie, I’m one of those people who dislike and are even afraid of clowns, but I am intrigued by other aspects of the old, traditional circus.
If you’re open to visiting an extremely unusual museum yet one that people of all ages can enjoy, the Circus & Clown Museum is for you. From customs and props to posters and other kinds of memorabilia, this is the place to get to know the history of the circus world.
Address: Ilgplatz 7.
Opening hours: Sunday: 10 AM – 1 PM.
Snow Globe Museum
Not as central and quite small but certainly unique, in this museum and workshop, you can see some beautiful snow globes and learn about how they are made.
Owned by the family of the man who invented the snow globe (amazing, right?), this is the best place to learn about the origins of an item that brings such joy to millions of people around the world.
I can’t say it’s worth getting all the way there, but if you have extra time and are looking for a very offbeat spot to visit, it is an option.
Address: Schumanngasse 87.
Opening hours: Monday – Thursday, 9 AM – 3 PM.
Museums to Visit in Vienna for Free on Certain Days
Heeresgeschichtliches Museum (Museum of Military History)
Another museum in Vienna offering free entrance on the first Sunday of every month, the Museum of Military History, is where you’ll learn about the military history of Austria’s Armed Forces and Navy from the 16th century to 1945.
From armor and swords to tanks and aircraft, you’ll get to admire a huge collection housed in a gorgeous 19th-century building.
Address: Arsenal, Objekt 1, Ghegastrasse.
Opening hours: Every day, 9 AM – 5 PM, apart from a few special dates.
Hermes Villa
If you feel like exploring a hidden gem away from the city center, Vienna’s free museums also include the gorgeous Hermes Villa, located in the Lainzer Tiergarten (Lainz Game Reserve).
Given by Emperor Franz Joseph as a gift to his wife Elisabeth (Sisi), it’s also known as the “Palace of Dreams.”
The villa’s museum showcases the history of the building as well as the Empress’ bedroom and some personal objects, and it can be visited for free on the first Sunday of every month.
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10 AM – 5 PM (closed: November 1, 2025 – March 16, 2026).
Römermuseum
Dedicated to Vienna’s history when it was the Roman town (and military camp) of Vindobona, this museum houses Roman ruins and artifacts (accompanied by videos and written information) that will give you a glimpse into life in that era.
You can visit it for free on the first Sunday of every month.
Address: Hoher Markt 3.
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10 AM – 5 PM.
Prater Museum
One of the most iconic spots in Vienna is the Prater amusement park (to be exact, it is called Wurstelprater, which is a part of the Prater public park), but this is not the original one.
After Emperor Joseph II had opened the grounds to the public and allowed the establishment of cafes and attractions in 1766, the amusement park started to evolve until it was destroyed in WWII.
Visit the Prater Museum for free on the first Sunday of the month to immerse yourself in the history and magic of the old Wurstelprater Park.
Address: Oswald-Thomas-Platz 1.
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 11 AM – 6 PM.
Six Apartments of Four Legendary Austrian Composers
Want to experience a prominent aspect of Vienna on a budget? Go see the apartments of Beethoven, Johann Strauss, Franz Schubert, and Joseph Haydn! You can visit all six sites for free on the first Sunday of every month.
The house-museums include Beethoven Museum (Probusgasse 6), Beethoven Pasqualatihaus (Mölker Bastei 8), Haydnhaus (Haydngasse 19), Johann Strauss Wohnung (Praterstraße 54), Schubert Geburtshaus (Nußdorfer Straße 54), and Schubert Sterbewohnung (Kettenbrückengasse 6).
Otto Wagner Pavilion Museums
An iconic Viennese Modernism and Art Nouveau architect, Otto Wagner was also a furniture designer, interior decorator, and urban planner.
Two beautiful pavilions he designed for Vienna’s railway stations (though one was only used by Emperor Franz Joseph and his entourage) are now open to the public.
The first one is the Otto Wagner Pavillon Karlsplatz (Karlsplatz) and the second is the Otto Wagner Hofpavillon Hietzing (Schönbrunner Schloßstraße). Admission is free on the first Sunday of every month.
Opening hours: Friday to Sunday 10 AM – 1 PM and 2 PM – 5 PM (closed: November 1, 2025–March 19, 2026).
Uhrenmuseum (Clock Museum)
Vienna is home to all kinds of quirky museums, and this is one of them. Visit it for free on the first Sunday of the month to marvel at a unique clock collection with exhibits as old as 600 years.
Address: Schulhof 2.
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10 AM – 5 PM.
Kunsthalle Wien Museumsquartier and Kunsthalle Wien Karlsplatz
Supporting both Austrian and international artists, the Kunsthalle Wien is a contemporary art exhibition hall.
It has two locations (Museumsquartier and Karlsplatz), both offering a “pay what can” kind of fee every Thursday from 5 PM to 8 PM, so they’re not technically free, but this option can keep them budget-friendly.
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Can you help?
I want to know the name of the museum in Vienna city that has a beautiful carved Jade egg and also is home to part of the crucifixion cross of Jesus. Visited this museum many years ago and want to visit again in May 2023.
Maybe you’re referring to the Kunsthistorisches Museum, which hosted a Fabergé egg exhibition a few years ago (not sure if it’s still there)?